Pakistan batter Babar Azam has been ruled out of the first Test of the tour against Bangladesh after suffering a knee injury. The right-hander left the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium before the conclusion of Thursday’s training session to get an MRI scan on his left knee, and the Pakistan medical staff later reviewed the findings to confirm that he will not feature in the opening match. The PCB said the team’s doctors are assessing his condition and will provide further information as it progresses.
Key takeaways
- Babar Azam is set to miss Pakistan’s opening Test versus Bangladesh due to a left-knee injury.
- He stepped out of Thursday’s practice early to undergo an MRI scan on the injured knee.
- Pakistan’s medical panel reviewed the scan report and confirmed his unavailability for the first Test.
- Pakistan’s medical team will continue monitoring his status and issue updates later.
- The first Test starts in Dhaka on May 8, followed by the second Test in Sylhet on May 16.
Injury update and what the PCB said
Pakistan’s squad received the confirmation after Babar Azam underwent an MRI on his left knee. After the touring team’s medical staff assessed the scan report, it was decided that the batter would not be available for the first Test against Bangladesh. The PCB stated that Babar will miss the opening match because of the injury, and added that the medical panel is still evaluating his situation, with further updates to follow.
Impact on Pakistan and the PSL form factor
The withdrawal is a significant setback for Pakistan, particularly because captain Shan Masood had recently backed Babar to bring his PSL form into the Test series. Babar has not reached a Test century since 2022, but he produced a strong run in the PSL earlier this year. In the tournament, he scored 588 runs across 11 matches at an average of 73.02, striking at 145.90, and played a key role in Peshawar Zalmi’s title-winning campaign.
With Babar ruled out of the first match, Pakistan will have to reshape their batting plans for the opening Test. The series begins in Dhaka on May 8, before moving to Sylhet for the second Test scheduled to start on May 16.
